Name of Plaque Sugg House
Location of Plaque, Highway / Road No., City and County Theall & Stewart Streets, Sonora in Tuolumne County
Explain the Design of the Plaque and Base Black granite plaque mounted on a salvaged brick monument.
Date of Dedication April 5, 2003
Name of Dedicating Humbug NGH Dennis Akin, E Clampus Vitus – Matuca Chapter 1849
Exact Wording of Plaque
Sugg House
IN 1857, WILLIAM SUGG, A FREED SLAVE, BUILT THIS THREE-ROOM BRICK FACED ADOBE
HOUSE. THE ADOBE BLOCKS WERE MADE IN THE FRONT YARD. THE WALLS ARE UP TO 18
INCHES THICK. A WOOD FRAME KITCHEN WAS AT THE REAR. AS SUGG’S FAMILY EVENTUALLY
GREW TO 11 CHILDREN, IT BECAME NECESSARY TO CONSTRUCT THE WOOD FRAME ADDITION.
IT WAS COMPLETED IN THE 1880’S. THE ROOMS WERE OCCASIONALLY RENTED OUT AS
“OVERFLOW” TO THE CITY HOTEL. STATE LAW CHANGES, IN 1921 REQUIRING HOT AND COLD
RUNNING WATER IN EVERY COMMERCIAL ROOM ENDED THAT 41 YEAR PRACTICE. THE FAMILY
NOT BEING ABLE TO AFFORD THE EXPENSE, THE HOME WAS OCCUPIED BY THE SUGG FAMILY
FOR 125 YEARS. GRANDSON VERNON SUGG MCDONALD, WAS THE LAST TO LIVE IN THE HOUSE
PLACED ON THE NATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES IN 1984.
DEDICATED BY MATUCA CHAPTER 1849 E CLAMPUS VITUS APRIL 5, 2003 -6008-
CREDO QUIA ABSURDUM